Loved this! Had a first run where I finished the Mario pretty much without advancing the Zelda part, I was starting to think that the combo theme was a bit weak in the gameplay (because it seemed more advantageous to just do one game at a time). But then the timer started and I rushed through the Zelda part, failed and lost xD

I really loved the art, it's very cute, and there's a lot of it! It gives off the same vibe as the original games, although a lot of the assets are more detailed and the color palettes are quite different (but in a good way, at least from what I remember). So great job there!

The concept is very cool, and contrary to what I've read in other comments, for me it pretty much falls under the "combo" theme. Not in the usual meaning it has in video games, but because you need to win two games at the same time, which is a cool take on it!

I guess the theme would have been even stronger for me if I really ended up moving in both games *at the same time*, but it was too hard for me. I almost always alternated between one and the other.

Still, impressive entry, I really enjoyed it! :3

Man for someone neorodivergent like me this game was hell to play lol

I couldn't play both games at once, I essentially would play one until I got to  a safe spot, then would continue the other one. But this back and foth was miscalculated and I lost.

It is a unique concept, but not sure how well it fits the theme. Graphics were great as always, and the sound design was nice too.

Also wow I can't believe you made two games in one jam. Good job!

Here's the VOD: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1547568252

Something tells me that this isn't the first time I have seen these games, but I am not sure. /s

Positives:

• Cool idea
• The custom art is amazing and adorable
• The sound is top-notch
• I like how the games were shorted from the originals

Things that could be improved:

• Haven't played the OG Mario, but the jumps and movement here feel very slippery like the whole level was made of ice
• Some of the platforms broke when jumping into a corner: they would let me through but wouldn't solidify back
• I wasn't able to jump on the bolted block platforms from below, making me think that their decorations - I was wrong.
• The 1 minute to complete the other games seemed rough, bc that just means you complete one game until the last level, then complete the second game fully and then finish the first one. But I don't have any good alternatives to suggest, to combat the "focus on one game first and then do the other" strategy.
• Going through doors was thought in the Right game - maybe make the door wider, like 2 full blocks, without changing the sprite. You can also slide the player into the center of the door.

Just be careful, Nintendo watching. /jk maybe

Fun: I must say I didn’t really quite enjoy my time with the game. However both games were satisfying to play. The main mechanic is however an hindrance to the progression and enjoyment if you focus on it so you ended up playing the platformer then playing the TopDown AA games (or vice-versa).

Innovation: Has this already been done? Yes. But I find the two-game aspect still original and still a daring choice for a GJ. Again, both game genre are well executed.

Theme: I am not sure about this. I guess it is a combo of two games, but my main issue is that the two games aren’t related so it is not really a combo but more of a simple addition.

Graphics: The graphics of both games were delivering that sweet retro vibe, in each cases fitting the game they were inspired by. It translated everything you needed to know about the different situation so yeah pretty good!

Mood:  Again, both mood fitted well with the gameplay of both games.

Audio: We can spot both elements of the themes of the original games and it’s a nice touch. It however gets repetitive quite quickly and the problem is that both games share the same music.

Humor: While it is not very applicable to this game, the face of the turtles put a smile on my face.

Final thoughts on overall quality: 

In terms of work realized within the span of 48 hours, the feat is quite impressive with what I felt was a decent level of polishing (coyote time is here, buffed input is here). Both games feel nice to play and are nice nostalgy ride to Mario and Zelda. The main mechanic, while interesting, is however not used to the benefit of the game. The game made me think heavily of one of the games of this year GMTKGameJam: The curse of the dice witch. (https://jhunter2551.itch.io/curse-of-the-dice-witch) and I think we can identify where it managed to do something similar but better executed.

            -Both “sides” have inequal values in terms of progression and User investment while both the games of Dual Cartridge each require a high investment in term of focus. This leads to the “imma put you in this nice little corner, I will come back to you soon” effect.             -Both sides are heavily connected while the games in Dual Cartridge are independent, again leading to the effect mentioned above, especially since both games require investment of the player. This is also why in some aspect I think it does not really fit the theme.

Suggestion from a guy who know nothing: I think you could resolve some of the mentioned problems by just getting more into the theme. Since the games aren’t especially difficult for somewhat experienced player, you could put in place a scoring system.

Separate the controls of your game and bind the switch to Q. The switch does not stop time for the unplayed game (but can maybe slows it). Then put in place a two-part combo bar, with a cursor in the middle, each part corresponding to a game. The longer you play a game the longer the cursor is pulled toward the side of that game and the score multiplier gradually decrease with it. So, if you want big numbers you need to switch regularly, which put pressure on the player for accomplishing the tasks when the multiplier is high. The player may complete each game separately but will have to play a certain way to get some better score.

Add some clearly partitioned section with “pause areas” for safe switching, some roadblock that need to be passed by playing the other game and I think you could have a decently demanding and fun game, a strange kind of speedrunnnable title, while keeping the core idea.

I think it a work nicely done that does have potential! Nice work!  

Wow

the twist when you complete one game is sick

although i can't rate this game, i will still give it some feedback.

loved this idea, i thought the combination of platformer and topdown was so clever, and the use of classic nintendo games was hilarious. it's impressive how much content you managed to pack in here in such a short amount of time, really fleshed out both games content-wise.

my biggest issue is that i eventually stopped playing the left side, and just focused on the right. other than just controls, there was no real link (pun not intended) between the two games. would have loved to have seen some interaction between the two worlds.

great entry, and great application of the theme!